Safety: Is is an
unusual recipe; all the recipes I publish come from lab tested sources.
This one doesn't. So why would I publish it? Simply because I took the lab
tested pickled watermelon rind recipe and simply puree the flesh instead and
add a small amount of pectin.. And still acidify it in the same way, to the
same extent.

Watermelon is an unusual fruit because it is not acidic.
Most fruits – peaches, pears, apples, and oranges are good examples – are
high in acid, they have a pH of 4.6 or below. Melons (honey dew, watermelon,
and cantaloupe) are an exception to this. Melons have an average pH of 6.2,
they are low in acid. Because they are low in acid, they can not be safely
canned in a boiling water canner unless the product is significantly changed
by adding a lot of acid or sugar. The amount of acid added to jams and
jellies to help pectin to gel is not enough to ensure the safety of
watermelon jelly. And no tests have been done to indicate just how much
sugar would be needed for a safe jelly.To answer the consumer’s
question, despite what the internet may say, there are no safe, tested
recipes for watermelon jelly.

Notice even they say that it
would have to be significantly altered adding a lot of acid or sugar.
We add both, in the same proportions as for the lab-tested watermelon rind
recipe. However, I will repeat that this is NOT a lab tested recipe, so
to be cautious, you may want to store it in the refrigerator, even after
canning.

Ingredients

4 cups chopped up watermelon (without the seeds or rind)
. That is a full 4 cups, liquid and all, no air spaces.

3 1/2 cups sugar

1.5 cups lemon juice

1.5 packages of dry no-sugar needed pectin

Equipment

Jar grabber (to pick up the hot jars)

Jar funnel ($2 at mall kitchen stores and local "big box" stores,
but it's usually cheaper online from our affiliates)

At least 1 large pot

Jelly strainer (see step 6) or cheesecloth

Large spoons and ladles

1 Water Bath Canner (a huge pot with a lifting rack to sanitize the
jars of watermelon jelly after filling (about $30 to $35 at mall kitchen
stores and local "big box" stores, but it's usually cheaper online from
our affiliates) You CAN use a large pot instead, but the canners are
deeper, and have a rack top make lifting the jars out easier. If you
plan on canning every year, they're worth the investment.

Vegetable / fruit peeler ($1.99 at the grocery store)

Ball jars (Publix, Kroger, other grocery stores and some "big box"
stores carry them - about $8 per dozen quart jars including the lids and
rings)

Watermelon / Other Melon Jelly Recipe and Directions

Step
1 - Selecting the watermelons

The most important step! You need watermelons that are sweet and
ripe, but nut overripe and mushy. Any color will work,. You can mix
different colors, if you like.

Step 2 -Wash, cut and dice the watermelons!

I'm sure you can figure out how to wash the outside of the
watermelons in plain cold water.

Then,
cut the watermelons open and start scooping out the contents.
Ideally, you make small 1 inch balls, cubes or chunks. Those will
blend up easily in your blender or food processor.

If you do this on a cutting board inside a baking tray. it will help you to
collect the liquid to use. The rind may be used in making watermelon rind
pickles (see this page, but the seeds are useless, except for planting
or spitting at each other.

You will need 4 cups of chopped up watermelon.

Step 3 -Puree the watermelon!

Place
diced watermelon in a blender or food processor.

Cover and blend or process until smooth.

It should reduce to approximately 2 cups of watermelon puree. That (2 cups
after the blender) is the amount you will need for the recipe. Pour it into a
large pot.

Step 4 - Add lemon juice

Add the 4 Tablespoons of lemon juice to the pot! Do NOT skip lemon
juice. It is key to the safety of this recipe, since watermelons are not
acidic! It is also important to activate the pectin to set a good gel!

NOTE: if you want to strain the jelly, now's the time to use the
strainer or cheesecloth. Personally, I think it's a waste of time.
Look at the jar in step 11; it just doesn't need it.

You don't need this for watermelon jelly, unless you want to be sure to
remove every seed and bit. For that, it's quite helpful.

Step 5 - Mix the dry pectin with about 1/4 cup of sugar or other sweetener

In
a small bowl, mix the dry pectin with about 1/4 cup of sugar (or other
sweetener). Keep this separate from the rest of the sugar. If you are not
using sugar, you'll just have to stir more vigorously to prevent the pectin
from clumping.

Notes about pectin: I usually add about 25% - 30% more pectin (just open
another pack and add a little) or else the jam is runnier than I like. With
a little practice, you'll find out exactly how much pectin to get the
thickness you like.

Is your jam too runny? Pectin enables you to turn out perfectly set jam
every time. Made from natural sources (apples and crabapples), there are
also no-sugar pectins that allow you to reduce the sugar you add by almost
half!
Get them all here at the best prices on the internet!Amazon.com Widgets

Step 6 - Mix the watermelon juice with the pectin and cook to a full
boil

Stir
the pectin into the watermelon juice and put the mix in a big pot on the
stove over medium to high heat (stir often enough to prevent burning).

It should take about 5 to 10 minutes to get it to a full boil (the kind
that cannot be stirred away).

Step 7 - Add the remaining sugar and bring to a boil

When
the berry-pectin mix has reached a full boil, add the rest of the sugar
(or other sweetener). I recommend using some real sugar or honey, as
jellies made with no added sugar, or just Stevia (or if you
prefer, Splenda) turn our rather flat tasting and runny.

After adding the sugar or sugar/sweetener blend, then bring it back to
a boil and boil hard for 1 minute. Depending upon which type of jam you're
making (sugar, no-sugar, Stevia (but you will have to experiment with amount, each brand of Stevia is a different concetration), or Splenda, or a mix of sugar and Stevia (or Splenda) or fruit
juice) you will need to use a different amount of sugar and type of pectin.

The precise measurements are found in directions inside each and every box
of pectin sold (every brand, Ball, Kerr, Mrs. Wages, etc. has directions
inside). .

Step 8 - Testing for "jell" (thickness)

I
keep a metal tablespoon sitting in a glass of ice water, then take a half
spoonful of the mix and let it cool to room temperature on the spoon. If
it thickens up to the consistency I like, then I know the jam is ready. If
not, I mix in a little more pectin (about 1/4 to 1/2 of another package)
and bring it to a boil again for 1 minute.

Step 9 - Fill the jars and put the lid and rings on

Fill
them to within �-inch of the top, wipe any spilled jam off the top, seat
the lid and tighten the ring around them. Then put them into the boiling
water canner!

This
is where the jar tongs and lid lifter come in really handy!

Step 10 - Process the jars in the boiling water bath

Keep
the jars covered with at least 2 inches of water. Keep the water boiling. In
general, boil them for 10 minutes, which is what SureJell (the makers of the
pectin) recommend. I say "in general" because you have to process
(boil) them longer at higher altitudes than sea level, or if you use larger
jars,
or
if you did not sanitize the jars and lids right before using them. The
directions inside every box of pectin will tell you exactly. The
directions on the pectin tend to be pretty conservative. Clemson
University says you only need to process them for 5 minutes. I usually
hedge my bets and start pulling them out after 7 minutes, and the last jars
were probably in for 10. I rarely have a jar spoil, so it must work.

Note: Some people don't even boil the jars; they just ladle it hot
into hot jars, put the lids and rings on and invert them, (this is called "open
kettle" processing). Open kettle process is universally condemned by all of the
authorities (USDA, FDA, Universities - Clemson, UGa, Minnesota, WI, Michigan,
etc,.) as being inherently dangerous and conducive to botulism. It does not
create a sterile environment; it does create the ideal environment for botulism
to grow.

Putting the jars in the boiling water bath REALLY helps to reduce spoilage!
To me, it makes little sense to put all the working into making the jam and then
not to process the jars to be sure they don't spoil or risk your family's
health.!

Step 11 - Remove and cool the jars - Done!

Lift
the jars out of the water and let them cool without touching or bumping
them in a draft-free place (usually takes overnight) You can then remove
the rings if you like, but if you leave them on, at least loosen them
quite a bit, so they don't rust in place due to trapped moisture. Once
the jars are cool, you can check that they are sealed verifying that the
lid has been sucked down. Just press in the center, gently, with your
finger. If it pops up and down (often making a popping sound), it is not
sealed. If you put the jar in the refrigerator right away, you can still
use it. Some people replace the lid and reprocess the jar, then that's a
bit iffy. If you heat the contents back up, re-jar them (with a new lid)
and the full time in the canner, it's usually ok.

Once cooled, they're ready to store. I find they last up to 12 months.
But after about 6 to 8 months, they get darker in color and start to get
runny. They still are safe to eat, but the flavor and texture aren't as
good. So eat them in the first 6 months after you prepare them!

Other Equipment:

From left to right:

Jar lifting tongs
helpful to pick up hot jars

Lid lifter
- to remove lids from the pot
of hot water

Lid
- disposable - you may only
use them once

Ring
- holds the lids on the jar until after
the jars cool - then you don't need them

This is the same type of standard canner that my grandmother used to make everything from applesauce to jams and jellies to tomato and spaghetti sauce. This complete kit includes everything you need and lasts for years: the canner, jar rack, jar grabber tongs, lid lifting wand, a plastic funnel, labels, bubble freer. It's much cheaper than buying the items separately. You'll never need anything else except jars & lids (and the jars are reusable)! There is also a simple kit with just the canner and rack, and a pressure canner, if you want to do vegetables (other than tomatoes). To see
more canners, of different styles, makes and prices, click here!
Don't forget the Ball Blue Book!

Lids, Rings, Jars, mixes, pectin, etc.

Need lids, rings and replacement jars? Or pectin to make jam,
spaghetti sauce or salsa mix or pickle mixes? Get them all here, and
usually at lower prices than your local store!

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